Stranded

Stranded is an adventure fiction novel intended for grades 3rd-5th. It was written by Jeff Probst, the host of survivor and published in 2013. The illustrator is Chris Tebbetts, who uses bright colors and large print to catch readers attention.

Stranded is a book much like the TV show Survivor. The story is about four kids: Carter, Jane, Buzz, and Vanessa. The four kids are on a boat trip with their uncle Dexter and his boat hand Joe, while their parents are on their honeymoon. The kids have recently become a blended family and are on this trip to bond with each other. The trip was going fine, until all the sudden a storm came and Dexter couldn't beat it. The boat started to take on water, Dexter and Joe threw the lifeboat into the water and got in, but they drifted away before the kids could get in. The kids are stuck on the boat all alone and then the boat crashes on a deserted island. On the island, each kids unique set of skills come out, as they struggle to survive. Jane is smart, Carter is fearless, Buzz is caring, and Vanessa is a leader. The kids work together to make a signal fire, collect water, find their way around the island, and to contact the coast guard. In the end the kids loose the boat and are still struggling to survive. Your left wondering what will happen next? Will they survive? Will they be found?

Discussion Questions:

• What could have been done differently to put the kids in a better situation?
• How close do you think the coast guard is to finding the kids?
• Where do you think Dexter and Joe are?
• How long do you think the kids can survive?
• What should be their next move on the island?

Motivational Activity:

•  Have the students rewrite the story, to see what else could happen if a couple of little things were changed.

Probst, J., & Tebbetts, C. (2013). Stranded. New York: Scholastic.